Just as I was contemplating a 'cheap' diving
holiday in warm waters, the Turkish Government lifted its
long-standing ban on diving. A virtually 'unexplored' part of the
Mediterranean combined with an exotic 'interior' was certainly
tempting, so the idea was put in motion.

The Diver's Holiday article I had seen however did
not provide an address to start my enquiries, but eventually contact
was made in the autumn of 1985. I received an enthusiastic reply and
a beautifully produced brochure describing the wonders of their
underwater world, even stating what the price Included and excluded,
but not what the price was.

Another letter produced package prices for just
diving, despite the fact that by now they were advertising Inclusive
holidays. So what was the price for an all inclusive package?

It was already 1986 and a London travel agent
materialised with information that the prices for the year were not
yet available. At last they were ready at Easter. but for the quoted
price any self-respecting diver would have chosen the Red Sea. It was
then that I learned that a Diver's Holiday Adviser was invited to
explore Turkey but was unable to go and suggested I went instead. It
also transpired a different company was involved. Letters followed,
letters were lost. Another two months went by.

Time was short if I was to avoid the hottest months
of the year, July and August. The location was to be Antalya an the
southern coast, because of a likely excursion to Cappadocia (more of
which later). Promises were made and promises ware broken, Summer was
drawing to a close. lNo time left to organise the club holiday and
prices quoted by Indigenous companies specialising in diving holidays
were still an obstacle. Hurghada would have been £5 cheaper!

So in desperation I booked an ordinary English
package holiday in Bodrum on the Aegean coast with two more divers
from my club. Two weeks at the end of September, bed and breakfast in
a pension, inclusive of flights and transfers for £275. Diving to be
organised on the spot.

We could have dived in Bodrum, which was expensive,
but in the next bay of Gumbet, two more diving outfits were
operating. One German and the one I had started with! Ve got a deal
an the original prices quoted a year earlier. This amounted to £60
for 10 boat dives with tanks and weights provided, which was very
reasonable by comparison with other places in this part of the world.
The beauty of it was that the dives did not have to be consecutive.
Just as well bearing in mind all the other attractions.

The underwater scenery was typical Mediterranean,
but we had a lingering suspicion that there was more to see than they
were prepared to show us. after all the whole of Bodrum's St Peter's
Castle, built by early crusaders, was turned into an underwater
archaeological museum stuffed with goodies provided by George Bass'
expeditions. Nevertheless I enjoyed myself filming sequences of
amphora debris, hunting octopus and collecting sponges. The sunken
city of Nindos was out of bounds. So a snorkelling escapade was
organised without the patronage of a diving school.

The boat trips were short, so their was either time
to return to base for a light lunch or anchor at another village for
a snack and then have a second dive in the afternoon. Back in plenty
of time to return to Bodrum (by means of 'dolmush' - the cheapest
transport at 15 p a head) for an excellent evening meal, which at the
very most would set you back £5 including wine and brandy.

The best dives were on a submerged pinnacle between
Bumbet and Karada Island. Groupers I missed, but scorpion fish were
there as well as the more usual inhabitants. Furthest trips were to
Kocek and Kargi Islands - from where the Island of Kos was clearly
visible - with amphora shards aplenty. The most frequented were
Gorecik Is and Kucuk peninsula teeming with octopus.

Besides diving, as I have said already, there were
other distractions such as visits to Ephesus, one of the largest
Greek settlements on these shores, with its Goddess Artemis, later
replaced by the Virgin Mary, who lived there with St. John. To some
perhaps one Greek ruin is very much like another, but the same cannot
be said about Famukkale (Cotton Castles) formed from calcium-bearing
springs and considered the ninth wonder of the world. I was
determined however to visit Cappadocia with its underground cities,
fairy chimneys and early Christian churches scooped out of the lava
covered rock, That is how I discovered cheap bus travel at £5.for 750
Km!

Despite early traumas, a most enjoyable
holiday, which I can heartily recommend, providing that the Turks for
all their charm, can eventually organise the
tourism.